1. Field of the Invention
The disclosure relates generally to computer systems and, more specifically, to a computer system and device for preventing a computing device from being inserted into a particular bay within the computer system.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 illustrates a system 200, commonly referred to as a blade center, for packaging a computer system. The computer system may include multiple computer devices, such as blade servers 202, a first (top) set of devices 204, a second (bottom) set of devices 206, and a midplane 270. In addition, the computer system may include blowers 207 and 209. The system 200 includes a main chassis 250 and a SPC chassis 260. The main chassis 250 includes a first cavity 210 and a second cavity 212. The first cavity 210 is configured to receive a peripheral device 208, and the cavity 210 includes bays adapted to receive a standard blade servers 202. Additionally, the main chassis 250 may be configured such that each of the blade servers 202 is hot pluggable into the first cavity 210. The midplane 270 may be a printed circuit board to which the blade servers 202 and devices 204 and 206 are separately connected via connectors 280.
FIGS. 2A and 2B respectively illustrate a conventional midplane 270 and blade server 202. Typically, two pairs of redundant power modules (not shown) are included that convert power from a single-phase (three-wire) external ac input source to +12 V for distribution to the system 200 via power connectors 230A, 230B and 232A, 232B on the midplane 270. Each of the redundant pairs of power modules powers an independent power domain. The power connectors 230A, 230B support power domain A, which includes blades 202 (1 through 6) and the chassis infrastructure, such as management modules, switch modules, blowers, front and rear operator panels, and a media tray. The power connectors 232A, 232B support power domain B, which includes blades 202 (7 through 14). If a single power module fails, the power domain will continue to supply power from the remaining power module.
The blade server 202 includes levers 260 that are attached to tabs 262 on the top and bottom of the blade server 202. After the blade server 202 is fully inserted into the chassis 250, the levers 260 are engaged, which drawings the tabs 262 out of the blade server 202 and into slots 264 on the top and bottom of the chassis 250. In this manner, the blade server 202 may be fixedly engaged to the chassis 250.
The midplane 270 includes connectors 280 that are respectively aligned with the plurality of bays in the main chassis 250. A typical blade server 202 includes a pair of plugs 258 that plug into connectors 280 on the midplane 270, certain blade servers (not shown) are double-wide in that the blade server fits into a pair of bays in the main chassis 250, and thus, use an additional set of connectors 280. For example, a SCSI storage expansion unit may be combined and interconnected with a normal blade server 202. In so doing the blade server 202 includes a pair of plugs 258 that plug into the connectors 280 on the midplane 270 and the expansion unit may also include additional plugs that plug into the connectors 280 of midplane 270.
An issue arises if this expanded blade server in installed into bays 6 and 7, which are within separate power domains. If power completely fails on one power domain, this lack of power will only shut down one portion of the expanded blade server (e.g., either the blade or the expansion unit). Since the blade and expansion unit are interconnected, loss of power to only one of these units could causes a malfunction in the computer system. There is, therefore, a need for a system and device for preventing a expanded blade server from being inserted into a particular set of adjacent bays within the computer system.